Tandem Thooughts
by Natasha Everlue
Summary: Its just SPAM I TELL YOU JUST IGNORE


**Odyssas the great bleh!**

Odysseus, a legendary man According to Homer, Laertes and Anticleia were the parents of Odysseus. He was married to Penelope and they gave birth to a son, Telemachus. Odysseus was often called "Odysseus the Cunning" because of his clever and quick mind. Autolycus, his grandfather, was a famous skilled thief in the Peloponnese. The Romans transformed the name Odysseus to Ulysses and that is how he is mostly known today all over the world. Odysseus had a proud and arrogant character. He was the master of disguise in both appearance and voice. He also excelled as a military commander and ruler, as is evident from the role he played in ensuring to the Greeks the victory over Troy, giving thus an end to the long Trojan War. The fall of Troy All began the day Paris of Troy abducted Helen, wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. Enraged, Menelaus called upon all kings of Greece, including Odysseus, as all had once vowed to defend the honour of Helen, if someone ever tried to insult her. Odysseus, however, tried to escape the promise made to Menelaus by feigning insanity. Agamemnon, the brother of Menelaus proved Odysseus to be lying and henceforth the legendary warrior set out for Troy, along with Agamemnon the lord of men, Achilles the invincible, Nestor he wise and Teucer the master archer, as they were called. Ten years had passed since the Greeks attacked Troy and they were all still there, outside the strong walls, fighting with the locals, who proved themeselves brave warriors. In the tenth year of the war, Odysseus the Cunning, the most trusted advisor and counselor of king Agamemnon, the leader of the Greeks, devised a plan to deceive the Trojans. He wanted to make them believe that the Greeks had lost their nerves and had returned back to Greece. In the middle of the night, the Greeks deserted Troy leaving only a gigantic wooden horse on wheels outside the gates of the city. When dawn broke, the Trojans were surprised to see no Greek army surrounding them, only a wooden horse. They indeed believed that the Greeks had gone and had left this horse as a gift to the gods, to give them a good sea trip. Thus they wheeled the wooden horse into their city and started revelry to celebrate the end of the war. However, unknown to the Trojans, Odysseus had built a hollow into the wooden horse to hide there a few Greek warriors. This plan was the only way to gain entry to the city that had held its defenses for so many years. Now that they were inside Odysseus and his men went out the dummy horse and slaughtered the unsuspecting guards. Then they opened the city gates and allowed the entire Greek army, who were hiding some miles away, to enter the city. Thus, thanks to the plan of Odysseus, the Greeks won the Trojan War. With the war over, Odysseus and his men set sail for their homeland, Ithaca, but in the end only one of them would come back. The long journey home The journey home for Odysseus and his fellows would be long and full of adventures. Their eyes would see all the strange of the world and Odysseus would come home with more memories and experiences than any other person in the world. The Cicones Odysseus and his legion set sail from Troy aboard twelve ships. Tranquil waters facilitated the movement of the ships and they were well out to sea. After a few days, they sighted land and Eurylochus, second-in-command to Odysseus, convinced him to weigh anchor, go ashore and devastate the city with the assurance that they would not be harmed. Seeing the ships weigh anchor and thenceforth the warriors coming ashore, the Ciconians, the local residents, fled to the nearby mountains. Odysseus and his men plundered and looted the empty city. However, the men of Odysseus resisted his efforts to get them back aboard the ship immediately and after a hearty meal accompanied by wine that flew like water, they fell asleep on the shore. Before the first light, the Ciconians returned with their fierce neighbors and set upon the warriors, killing as many as they could. Odysseus and his men beat a hasty retreat to their ships but heavy damages had already been inflicted on their number. Berating himself for having listened to Eurylochus and thereafter losing so many valuable men, Odysseus and Eurylochus fought with each other but they were separated by their fellow-men and peace was once again established amidst the warriors. The Lotus-Eaters Rounding to the south, Odysseus and his men were blown off-course, towards the land of the Lotus-Eaters. While Odysseus was scouting around the land, some of his men mingled with the natives and ate the local lotus grown on the land. Soon, everything went hazy and the men found themselves under the heavy influence of some intoxicant that caused them to fall asleep. The lotus flowers they had eaten were narcotic in nature and made them forget all about their family and homeland. These men wanted to stay on this land and eat lotus for the rest of their lives. They refused to go home. Desperately, Odysseus and some other men had to carry them back to the ship. Without delay, they set sail and upon waking these men had to be bound to the masts to prevent them from jumping into the sea and swimming back to the shore to consume the lotus flower that they had got so addicted to. Polyphemus the Cyclops After sailing for many weeks without further adventure, the warriors chanced upon a strange land. Odysseus and a handful of his men went ashore to search the land. A few minutes walk from the ships brought them to the mouth of a gigantic cave. Curious, the warriors entered the cave and found it to be the habitation of some gigantic being. Further on, they found flocks of sheep inside the cave and being hungry, they slaughtered a few of them and feasted on their flesh. Unknown to them, this was the lair of Polyphemus the Cyclops and this land was the home of the gigantic Cyclopes. Returning to his cave, Polyphemus blocked the entrance with a huge rock, as he usually did. Odysseus and his men ran towards the entrance but they were dismayed at the sight that greeted them. Here was a huge rock preventing their escape from a being that was even bigger than the rock. Laying his only eye on the warriors, Polyphemus asked who they were. Without revealing their identity or mission, Odysseus told Polyphemus they were sea-farers who had lost their way and had come ashore looking for food. Unhappy that his sheep had been killed and eaten by these men, Polyphemus refused them to exit his cave. Everyday he made a meal of two brave warriors, dashing their brains out on the walls of the cave and chewing them raw. Unable to bear this act of cruelty, Odysseus devised a plan to get them out. He had with him a gourd of strong wine and one day he offered it to Polyphemus, who grabbed it and poured it down his throat greedily. The wine made the Cyclops drowsy and within minutes he fell asleep. Odysseus and his remaining men took a red-hot poker from the fire-place and thrust it into the Cyclop's only eye, blinding him. The sleeping giant awoke in shock, howling in pain and bellowing in rage, demanding to know who had done this. Yet again Odysseus presence of mind proved of the very essence and he shouted out that his name was "Nobody". Polyphemus, now on his feet and stumbling around created such a commotion that his fellow Cyclops came running to his lair to see what had happened. When they stood outside the cave and asked Polyphemus what had happened, the Cyclops said that Nobody had blinded him. The other Cyclopes laughed out loud, called him an idiot and told him there was nothing they could do for "Nobody" had hurt him. The following morning, Odysseus and his men strapped themselves to the belly of the sheep and in this manner they escaped when Polyphemus let his flocks out of his lair to graze. Once outside, the warriors ran to the safety of their ships. Odysseus, however, priding his brilliance, could not resist taunting Polyphemus. The moment they set sail, he shouted out to the Cyclops that it was he, Odysseus, who had blinded him. Enraged and unable to see, Polyphemus threw a massive rock in the direction of the voice. Luckily for Odysseus, it fell short of its target for else his ship would have been smashed. Polyphemus cried out to his father, the sea-god Poseidon, to avenge this ignominy and hereafter Odysseus became a sworn enemy of Poseidon. The Bags of Aeolus Fleeing the land of the Cyclopes, Odysseus found his ships nearing Aeolia, home of Aeolus, the god of the winds. Aeolus used to blow the wind over the sea and the land. After hearing of Odysseus' journey home, Aeolus gave him a bag full of winds that would guide him home safely. Odysseus set sail the seas once again and spent many sleepless nights guarding the bag until one day, too tired and overcome with fatigue, he fell asleep. Curiosity overcame a couple of his men who had been awaiting the opportunity to grab the bag to see what their leader was guarding with his life. They got their chance the moment Odysseus fell asleep, as they were approaching the shore of Ithaca. Without a minute of hesitation, the two sailors opened the bag. The winds caught in the bag escaped and created a furious storm that drove the ships backwards. Sensing something wrong in the motion of the ship Odysseus awoke with a start only to find himself back at Aeolia. This time, Aeolus declined to give again the gift of the winds and a heartbroken Odysseus set out once again on the arduous journey back to Ithaca. The Laestrygonians Out of the darkness of night, an island was raising in the distance. This was Telepylos, an island with natural defenses in the form of the cliffs and with only one narrow passage in. Each ship passed into the calm harbor surrounded by cliffs with the exception of Odysseus, who for some reason anchored it in the turbulent waters outside. Two warriors went ashore to explore the island and they came across a girl who took them to her father. Nearing the castle, they saw a gigantic woman who called out to her husband. A giant man, her husband, came running out and snatching up one of the men devoured him alive. The other ran for his life and the entire race of giants that inhabited the land gave chase to him. At the harbor, Odysseus' men ran for cover but the giants smashed their ships with massive rocks and speared them alive. Only Odysseus managed to escape on his ship with some sailors on it since he had anchored it outside the island. Circe the Enchantress Having barely saved their lives, Odysseus and the men aboard the one surviving ship landed on the island, Aeaea, home to the powerful Circe, enchantress and powerful sorceress. With the help of strong magic and unknown to the warriors, Circe had already envisioned their arrival on her island. Some fellows of Odysseus who had been sent to explore the island, walked into the palace of Circe and saw her sitting on her magnificent throne, surrounded by wild animals who were once men. The beautiful enchantress, with one touch of her stick, turned the mighty warriors into pigs. With the help of god Hermes, Odysseus drank a certain herb that protected him from Circe's magic. When she saw him, the sorceress found her spells to be ineffective and on his demand that his men be turned back into human form, the sorceress agreed but only if Odysseus shared her bed-chamber. Odysseus consented and moreover, he and his men spent a whole year on this island. At the end of that year, Odysseus decided to depart from Aeaea and continue his way home. Circe, having the ability to predict future, gave him instructions on what to do afterwards. She advised him to go to the Underworld and meet the blind prophet Tiresius to ask him for instructions. The Journey to the Underworld No alive man had ever entered the Underworld. But brave Odysseus decided to do so, in order to continue his journey and reach Ithaca at last! Odysseus and his men made sacrifices to god Hades by the shores of the River Acheron and Odysseus alone took the path to the dark Underworld. Tiresius appeared to Odysseus and the blind prophet told him that in order to get home he had to pass between Scylla and Charybdis, two great monsters. The Sirens Leaving Hades, Odysseus and his men sailed for many days without sight of land. Not before long, though, strange disquieting sounds reached the ears of the men aboard the ship. The sounds tugged at their hearts and made them want to weep with joy. Odysseus at once realized that they were approaching the Sirens that Circe had warned him about. The sorceress had told him to block every man's ears with wax for if any were to hear the song of the Sirens, he would surely jump off the ship, go close to the Sirens and the winged monsters would kill them. Odysseus did exactly that with his men, but he himself wanted to hear their strange song. He thus ordered his sailors to tie him up to the mast so he could not jump into the sea in an attempt to meet the Sirens. With their ears blocked with wax, the men heard nothing and the ship passed near the Sirens. Suddenly, Odysseus wanted to get free of his bonds and swim towards the Sirens for their song had just become clear and it was very beautiful and captivating. But the ropes were very tight and fortunately he could not untie himself. His fellows could hear neither the Sirens neither the screams of their leader, who was praying them to untie him. As the ship was sailing away from the shore, the song of the Sirens was fading out. Scylla and Charybdis Following the advice of Tiresius, Odysseus chose the route that would take him on one side close to Scylla, a six-headed monster who had once been a woman and on the other side Charybdis, a violent whirlpool. Tiresius had advised Odysseus to sacrifice six men to Scylla so they might pass through without losing any more men. Approaching the mouth of the strait between Scylla and Charybdis the warriors shrank back in fear for on either side were violent deaths. Only Odysseus was quiet, sad that he would have to lose six brave warriors but he was ready to do so, in order to save the others. As they passed by Scylla, she picked up six men and allowed the rest to pass through safely. Odysseus never forgot the screams of the men he had to sacrifice and to the very end of his days he lamented his betrayal. He had not informed a single warrior of his motive. Then his ship passed from Charibdys but managed to survive. The Cattle of Helios Weary and tired from the ordeal, Odysseus ordered his ship to weigh anchor at the island of Thrinacia. This island was sacred to the sun god Helios whose cattle grazed freely here. Even though Odysseus had been warned by Tiresius and Circe not to harm any of the cattles, his men defied him and set about slaughtering and feasting on them. Immediately Helios complained to Zeus, vowing to take vengeance by sending the sun down to Hades, never to rise again. Zeus in response sank Odysseus ship with a thunderbolt as it was leaving Thrinacia and destroyed every man aboard with the exception of the valiant leader. Somehow, a floundering Odysseus was swept past Scylla and Charybdis and washed up ashore on an unknown island. Seven years with Calypso The island that Odysseus found himself was Ogygia and it was there where he spent seven years with the nymph Calypso, who found him unconscious on the beach. She promised him immortality in exchange for his love, but soon Odysseus sensed once again the desire to see Ithaca and his family, his unfortunate wife and his son who would have grown up till then. Even a beautiful and powerful goddess like Calypso couldn't fill this feeling of the unaccomplished that Odysseus was always carrying in to his heart. However, Calypso had fallen in love with him and wouldn't let him go. On the behalf of Zeus, Hermes appeared before Calypso and told her to let Odysseus go. One day finally, on a raft that he built himself, Odysseus set off for Ithaca with a wooden float but once again he was caught in the middle of a storm and shore to another strange land. Meanwhile on Ithaca Telemachus, the son of Odysseus who had just turned twenty, decided to set out in search of his long gone father. His mother had woes of her own. She was constantly plagued by suitors asking for her hand, since ten years had passed from the end of the Trojan War and her husband had not returned. Day after day, she fended off their advances with an ingenious trick. She told the suitors that she was weaving a burial shroud for Odysseus' father and only when it was complete, would she even think to marry anyone of them. Penelope's trick was to weave the cloth in the daytime and undo it at night, so the suitors were kept waiting indefinitely, until her husband would return. However, a chambermaid betrayed her to the suitors and soon they were back, asking for her hand and the kingdom of Ithaca. Knowing that his mother was successfully keeping her 108 suitors away, Telemachus decided to set out on his quest. Aided by goddess Athena and along with some of his faithful warriors, he went to Sparta to meet Menelaus and ask him if he had any news from his father. Unfortunately, Menelaus knew nothing and Telemachus disappointed returned to Ithaca. The Phaeacians The land of the Phaeacians, which the historians believe is modern Corfu, was where Odysseus found himself after a terrible storm. Nafsica, the local princess, found Odysseus exhausted and naked on the shore and led him to the palace of her father. While in the court of King Alcinous and Queen Arete, he heard the bard Demodocus sing of the Trojan War. Odysseus was overcome with grief at hearing stories about the war and of the Trojan Horse that had been his invention. It was then that the emotions came crashing down on him and he broke down into tears. The people gathered around him asked who he really was and why the story affected him. It was then that Odysseus revealed his true identity and his struggles to reach Ithaca. After listening to his ordeals, the Phaeacians gave him their fastest ship, the best of their provisions and bid him good luck on his way home. And so it was that the hero finally returned to Ithaca, eager to see his wife Penelope and son Telemachus, from both of whom he had been separated for two whole decades. Finally on Ithaca The arrival of Odysseus on Ithaca went unnoticed and, in the guise of a beggar, he approached the palace. He first met his old servants and his beloved son, Telemachus. From them, he learnt about the suitors that have been bothering Penelope for so long. Odysseus, still in the form of a beggar, he met his wife, who didn't recognize him. He told her about her husband's bravery and how he had helped in winning the Trojan War. These tails brought tears to her eyes. Calming herself, she approached the suitors who were always hanging around the palace and set them a simple task. Penelope would marry anyone of them who could string Odysseus' bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe-handles joined together. The suitors pushed and shoved each other to be the first to succeed but little did they know that the task they faced was impossible. Stringing the bow that belonged to Odysseus was not an easy task for it required not brute strength but dexterity. One by one, each suitor tried his luck but to no avail. Finally, Odysseus picked up the bow, stringing it with ease and in one fluid motion letting fly an arrow that pierced all the twelve axe-handles. After that, there was chaos. Revealing his true identity, Odysseus began massacring the suitors and, aided by Telemachus and the swineherd Eumaeus, they had soon cleared the court of all 108 of them. The suitors were killed and the maid-servants, who had made themselves the pleasure slaves of the suitors, were all hung. When Penelope heard the massacre, she run to the court. Fazed by the sudden spate of events, she refused to believe that this strange beggar was indeed her long lost husband Odysseus, so she set up another test for him. In front of Odysseus, Penelope ordered the palace servants to remove the bed from her bed-chamber to the hall outside. On hearing this, Odysseus bristled with anger and opposed the idea, saying that this bed had been fashioned out of a living oak by his own hand and none, save a god, none in the whole world could move it. Joyful, Penelope rushed to Odysseus and hugged him, with big tears in her eyes, for she was reassured that this man was her beloved husband returned to her. Only Odysseus knew the secret about their bed and his words were the proof she needed to believe him. The real end This, however, was not the end of Odysseus' journey. Prophet Tiresius had forewarned him that once he had re-asserted himself as King of Ithaca, he should travel inland holding the oar of a ship. Indeed, after a few years, Odysseus crowned Telemachus King of Ithaca and left him and his wife Penelope to travel on the opposite inland. Many days did he wander with the oar in hand seeking for people who would not know what it was but wherever he went, people recognized it as an oar. One day, far inland, opposite the shores of Ithaca, Odysseus came across those people who had never seen the sea and hence did not know what an oar was. There it was that Odysseus finished his life travel and took a local princess for his bride. For many years, he lived amongst these people and it was here that he breathed his last, far from the sea, his family and his beloved Ithaca

 **Amazon**

The culture of the Amazons The myth says that they lived in the city of Themiscyra, off the river Thermodon in Asia Minor, and they were a race of mighty warrior women. Their society was governed strictly and exclusively by women, providing a fascinating contrast to the male-dominated society of the ancient times. Men were not allowed to become members in their society, unless it was for the specific purpose of mating or for slavery. Perhaps, this is why Homer describes them in the Iliad as "women who go to war like men" and Heredotus uses the term "Androktones" for them, which means "killers of men". They indeed lived like soldiers and their life purpose was to make wars against men. From childhood, the girls were taught the nuances of warfare. The bow and arrow, the librys (a kind of double-edged axe) and a shield in the shape of a crescent were their weapons. The Amazons showed unsurpassed skill and excellence as horse-tamers and riders. Peculiar, but perhaps justified from the Amazons perspective, was the removal of a girl's right breast. While still a girl, the right breast would be cauterized using a searing hot bronze tool. It was thought to be a necessary evil, to mutilate and remove all possible hindrances to using a spear or drawing an arrow. This practice may has attributed them the name Amazons from the Classical Greek word "Amazoi", which translates to either breast-less, full-breasted or not-touching men. "Full-breasted" appears to be a paradox, but that is precisely how the Amazons have been depicted, whether in sculptures or paintings. These women were more in tune with warfare than with feminism. An Amazon was not allowed to get married, because they thought it to be a kind to slavery to a man. However, to carry on their race, they would very often mate with men from nearby societies or with handsome prisoners of war. Once their purpose was fulfilled, the prisoners would be used as slaves or killed. A male offspring suffered a fate akin to his father. If a boy was born, their mothers would kill him or sent him away. Sometimes he was kept alive to grow up and be used for sexual pleasure or as a provider of human seed. In the contrary, when a girl was born, she was taken care of, nourished and raised essentially as a warrior, but nevertheless, as a fine woman. The modern popular imagination has settled them in isolate forestall regions, where they could protect themselves from men invasions and has dressed the Amazons with leather clothes that cover a few parts of the body. However, in the ancient ceramic vessels, they were depicted wearing long dresses that reach the knee. The moon, since time immemorial, has been the symbol of everything that is feminine and beautiful. The Amazons were not just beautiful women who led an untamed life. They also used to worship the moon. Their name may have resulted from contact with the ancient Circassians who were known to worship the moon too. The word Amazon in the ancient Circassian language meant "moon-mother" or "mother of the forest". The relationships of Amazons with famous heroes The Greek mythology has a number of well-known myths related to the life of the Amazons and their interaction with men and the rest of the world. Here we are mentioning a few of them to get a view of their life, culture and beliefs. Theseus and Antiope - Another myth says that on his way to the land of the Amazons in search of Hippolyta's girdle, Hercules was accompanied by his friend Theseus. Theseus was the King of Attica and was seduced by Antiope, one of Hippolyta's sisters, whom he abducted and carried back to Athens. Though she detested him at first, she eventually fell in love with and married him. To them was born a boy whom Antiope named Hippolytus, in memory of her sister. She was the only Amazon to have abandoned the Amazon tribe to get married. Many years passed, and one day, the Amazons attacked Athens in the hope of rescuing the abducted Antiope. Although it was considered impregnable, the fortress of Theseus was infiltrated by Molpadia. She found Antiope and wanted to take her back, but Antiope didn't intend to leave her husband. In a fit of rage, Molpadia ran her spear through Antiope. The battled went in favor of the Greeks and Molpadia herself was killed by the enraged Theseus. This legendary battle between the Amazons and the Greeks was later portrayed in relieves and known as Amazonomachy, depicting the triumph of a civilized race over those considered barbarians. Hercules and Hippolyta - This is perhaps the most well-known myth regarding the Amazons. Hercules, the mightiest warrior in Greek mythology, is known for his twelve tasks. The ninth of these tasks was that he had to bring to king Eurystheas of Tyrins, the Girdle of the Amazon Queen, Hippolyta. Queen Hippolyta was very pride for her golden girdle, gifted by her father Ares, the God of War. When Hercules approached her, she willingly consented to give him the girdle. However, Hera, distinguished into an Amazon herself, approached the women and told them that Hercules was there to steal the girdle, so that before he could leave, they declared war on him. Hercules, believing Hippolyta to be the one to set him up, killed her and then found himself engaged in a massive battle with the Amazons. When the battle was over, only Hercules was alive. With the girdle of Hippolyta safely in hand, Hercules returned to Tiryns to continue his labours. Achilles and Penthesilea - Penthesilea was the greatest warrior woman amongst the Amazons. An extremely skilled warrior, she was also renowned for her wisdom. One day, while she was hunting, she accidentally killed her sister, Hippolyta II. Bereaved at her loss and in search of redemption, she left her tribe and joined the Trojan War. Accompanied by twelve brave women, she joined the war on the side of the Trojans and together, they killed many of the Greeks. Fate however, had other plans, for Penthesilea ultimately came face to face with the invincible Achilles. No matter how she tried, she couldn't win him. Achilles triumphed and when he removed his enemy's helmet, the sight that greeted his eyes brought him to his knees in dismay: he had killed a woman. However, such was Penthesilea's beauty that Achilles' grief was overcome by waves of lust and finally Achilles desecrated her lifeless body. Many years after the Trojan War, the Amazons mounted an expedition in search of Achilles' ashes, to avenge their dead Queen Penthesilea. Their quest took them to the mouth of the river Danube and the island of Leuke, where the sea-nymph Thetis, mother of Achilles, had scattered the ashes. The Amazons did not get very far because an apparition blocked their way; it was the ghost of Achilles. The terror-stricken horses ran amok and threw their riders to the ground. The Amazons were forced to retreat in shame. Thalestris and Alexander the Great - Another myth refers to the relationship of an Amazon Queen and Alexander the Great, the famous Macedonian king. Around 320 BC, there was none to challenge the brilliance of Alexander and the greatest conqueror to have ever walked the earth. Thalestris, queen of Amazons, had convinced herself that a union with Alexander would result in a daughter, who would grow up to be the greatest warrior woman ever born. 300 women followed Thalestris to where Alexander was encamped. Hearing her plan, Alexander agreed and the two spent 13 days together. The Amazons were moon-worshippers and considered 13 an auspicious number. Thalestris, with Alexander and her 300 warrior-women, along with Alexander's army, spent their days hunting and making love. The Amazons soon returned to Themiscyra and eagerly awaited news from Alexander, but none came. This relationship had an unfortunate end and Thalestris died without an heiress. The sexuality of the Amazons: Passion and Warfare The Amazons were not known to be favorably disposed towards the institution of marriage. Nevertheless, they did engage in sexual activities to justify the continuity of their race, whether with men of neighboring clans, prisoners-of-war or random men they would meet. Taking a cue from their wild and untamed existence, Amazon sexuality was animal-like: under the cover of darkness, isolated and nihilistic, that is without taking any pleasure of the act. They may have seen passion and warfare as reflective of each other, warring with passion and loving with a passion that bordered on almost-aggressive. Sex was merely a medium, wholly dispensable unless the consequence was to the advantage of the warrior-women, that advantage being the birth of a girl child, who was fiercely guarded and raised as warriors and successors. When a boy was born, they killed him, blinded him or if the boy was lucky enough, it was sent away to live with his father. Herodotus however claimed that the Amazons and ancient Scythians shared an intimate relationship. A Scythian man would make amorous advances towards an Amazon only when she was alone. Once it became evident that she was not averse to his approach, they would engage in sexual intercourse. This is indicative that the craving for sexual contact would overcome their hate for men. In this approach, the Amazons were tamed, bringing in an aspect of wanting and loving at their aggressive nature. Strabo's account simply stated that any Amazon would take on any man and vice-versa. Plutarch's thought of Amazon sexuality tends towards a woman's basic instincts, that of naturally desiring to be with and being submissive to a man. In overall, the three narratives vie in establishing the Amazons as promiscuous and hubristic or simply, as women with natural, earthly desires. Moreover, stories of Greek heroes in contact with the Amazons do at times bring about a shadow of depravity. Hercules' task of obtaining Hippolyta's girdle may be interpreted as removal of the last vestige of denial by a woman. Theseus' abduction of Antiope and her initial dislike but consequent love for him and the birth of their child, could possibly suggest sexual predation. Penthesilea's death and violation of her lifeless body at the hands of Achilles is testament to an Amazons incomparable beauty and strong sexuality. It would not be amiss to surmise that such acts were the implementations of sexual fantasies, by which men gave vent to their willing to dominate over women. In essence, it could have also been ancient Greek vainglory and portrayal of women as the weaker, subjugated race. The Amazons would avoid sexual encounters while they served in the army or in times of war. It was an unwritten law for them to excel in warfare and prove themselves worthy before mating. Apparently, a virgin warrior meant that she was as yet unexposed to the desires of the flesh and therefore would not give in to a man's advances. It may be speculated that their pent up anger when they served in the army, before being able to fulfill their sexual needs, contributed to the aggression they displayed as warriors. On the other hand, retaining their virginity while in the army may have been a form of self-denial, which made them feel less inclined towards feminine desires and put them on an equal footing with men. Marriage for the Amazons would only teach the women to become subservient and that is why they were thinking of marriage as a form of slavery: slavery to your husband, your husband's family and your children. The Gods of the Amazons The Gods that the Amazons used to worship were related to their beliefs and ideals. God Ares was certainly male but yet he was honoured by the Amazons as the God of War, since their life was devoted to fighting. Artemis, the female Goddess of War, was also honoured as the goddess of the hunt, childbirth and nature. In fact, Artemis may have been a more cultivated representation of an Amazon type of women, as she was believed to be virgin and fierce. Cybele was also another protector of the Amazons as she used to be worshipped as the Goddess of the moon, the symbol of the Amazons, and fertility. Myth or Reality? The origins of the Amazons are still unknown and whether they existed at all or not is under a heavy shroud of doubt. They may have lived in Libya, the Anatolian Peninsula of modern day Turkey or in the Black Sea region. The Amazons may have been a purely fictitious race, concocted by the male dominated society of ancient Greece to further boost their inflated ego. This is explainable from the fact that there was never any mention of the Amazons having won a single battle or being victorious. Conversely, the Amazons may have been real women warriors who actually fought alongside men. This may have earned themselves a highly esteemed reputation and a position of power in society. However, it would be unfair to discredit the Amazons as an invention of convenience. An interesting connection to the Amazons can be found in the Altai Mountains of Siberia, which had for centuries kept safe its secrets until excavations began in the mid 1990s. The archaeologists unearthed the burial grounds of an ancient race of people known as Pazyryk. The Kurgans, as the log-barrows they were interred in were known, have revealed several mummified remains of mostly women. One such Kurgan contained the well preserved remains of a woman who had been interred with her resplendent feathered headgear, intricate body art and sacrosanct artifacts. She has since been called the "Siberian Ice Maiden". The mummy has been dated back to 5 BC, precisely the time Herodotus spoke of the Amazons. Several other kurgans were excavated and revealed mummified women displaying scars and wounds perhaps inflicted in battles. Most remains are bow-legged, an indication of years of riding on horseback. Bizarre but true are the remains of horses found at these Kurgans, some sacrificed and propped up on stakes, others interred with the dead. Closer research has revealed remarkable similarities amongst the Pazyryk and the ancient Scythians. In his commentary, Herodotus stated that the Amazons were a genus of Scythians that had journeyed to Themiscyra and thrived there from the 8th to the 5th century BC. Hence, the warrior-women of the Pazyryk may well have been the Amazons, who were also skilled equestrians, horse-tamers, horse-riders or fighters on horseback. Of particular interest also, is the ancient Greek city of Myrina on the island of Lemnos, Eastern Aegean. It is suggestive that this Bronze Age city may have been named in honor of the Amazon Queen Myrina, during whose reign the Amazons battled the Gorgons creature. Significantly, there is a church dedicated to Panagia Gorgona on Lemnos. Alternatively, certain facts may well negate the possibility of their existence. The city of Ephesus on the west coast of Asia Minor, modern day Turkey, was apparently built by the Amazon, Hippo. It is a historically known fact that the city was built by Ionian Greeks in 1,050 BC. The well-known Herculean task of obtaining Hippolyta's girdle and the subsequent annihilation of the Amazons at his hands may have been devised, to conveniently explain why there weren't any Amazons in Themiscyra when the Greeks arrived there. The tale of Thalestris and Alexander the Great is also not without uncertainty. The Greek historical writer, Onesicritus, has recorded the story to be true. However, years later when King Lysimachus, who was a general in Alexander's army, heard the story, he said that he had never heard of this story, although he was with Alexander during the whole expedition, from Greece to India. Another medically relevant factor that contradicts the practice of breast removal practiced by the Amazons is that the actual act of cauterizing, cutting off or forcibly removing the breast would have caused immense hemorrhage and would have resulted in the death of the woman. This puts an end to the theoretical interpretation of the word Amazon as meaning "without-breast". What further goes against this theory is that the Amazons have always been depicted with both breasts, sometimes with the left covered. Therefore, we cannot result in certainty whether this race really existed or not. What we can say for sure is that this ancient race reminds us of the modern feministic movement and sexual deliberation. The beliefs and practices of the feminists reflect on the ideas of the Amazons, just a milder point of view. The bottom of both theories, however, is common: women would like to take revenge of their degrading situation in a society dominated by men and the suppression they have been suffering for centuries. This idea seems to be as old as the creation of society and only in the recent decades have the women managed to obtain some rights and be declared equal to men. However, have in mind that this happens only in western societies. There are communities around the world where women still live with this feeling of suppression and suffer under the domination of men. Maybe these women have never heard of the mighty Amazons.

PS. GUYS THIS IS JUST NONESENSE DON'T MIND ME


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